Cover Angel investor and founding member of Women in Blockchain Asia Surina Shukri passed away on February 29 at the age of 48 (Photo: Imran Sulaiman/Tatler Malaysia)
Angel investor and founding member of Women in Blockchain Asia Surina Shukri passed away on February 29 at the age of 48 (Photo: Imran Sulaiman/Tatler Malaysia)
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The seasoned investor and founding member of Women in Blockchain Asia Surina Shukri passed away on February 29 in Kuala Lumpur due to cancer
At just 48 years of age, esteemed Tatler friend and former CEO of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Surina Shukri passed away after a long battle with breast cancer, according to a statement by her family this morning.
Read more: Surina Shukri on living with breast cancer
A renowned startup investor and advisor, Surina was also a founding member of Women in Blockchain Asia (WIBA) and an independent non-executive director at Capital A and CIMB. She co-founded WIBA in 2022 with a mission to create an inclusive new economy with Asian women as leaders in the blockchain industry. To this day, WIBA has inspired increased female participation in blockchain-based causes and empowered women with the knowledge, skills, tools, and resources to succeed in the blockchain space.
As reported by Free Malaysia Today, Surina passed away at Ampang Puteri Hospital in Kuala Lumpur around 9am this morning with her family by her side.
Above Dato' Dr Hartini Zainuddin and Deborah Henry alongside Surina (right) at the 2020 Gen.T Malaysia dinner in Kuala Lumpur
Dato' Dr Hartini Zainuddin and Deborah Henry alongside Surina (right) at the 2020 Gen.T Malaysia dinner in Kuala Lumpur
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In 2020, Surina served as a member of the Gen.T tribe, a panel of 11 industry leaders instrumental in identifying the young, visionary leaders in the 2020 GenT Malaysian cohort. She was also part of the voting committee for Tatler's inaugural Front & Female Awards Malaysia 2023, in keeping with her longstanding mission to develop the next generation of leaders. She served as CEO of MDEC, the lead Malaysian government agency for digital economy development, from January 2019 to August 2021.
See also: Video: Highlights from the Malaysia Gen.T list 2020 unveiling event
In 2021, she was named among the World's 50 Most Influential People Revolutionising Governance in the inaugural Agile 50 list by Apolitical & World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Agile Governance.
Above Photo; Surina Shukri
Photo; Surina Shukri
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Surina’s early career saw an 18-year stint at JP Morgan Chase in Wall Street. She left JP Morgan in 2018 to start SheNovation Ventures, a transformation and growth venture studio. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, she was a respected and recognised industry leader in the areas of digital transformation, innovation, diversity, and inclusion.
Don't miss: Gen.T 2020: Meet our Tatler tribe
Several years after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, Surina resolved to live life to the fullest, including running her first half-marathon and bringing together a community of like-minded women towards greater gender parity in the blockchain space.
In a 2021 interview with Tatler, she said, “I’m more determined to advocate for the things I believe in, whether it’s encouraging a healthier workplace culture that empowers instead of condemns, or supporting women in all sectors to reach their highest potential—I’m going to do it with grace and style.”
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Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
